Remedies for diseases caused by insulin resistance

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides methods of inhibiting or sequestering 14-3-3 protein from binding to the insulin receptor substrate -1 or -2 by administering a substance which inhibits the interaction of these two proteins.

The present application is a 371 of PCT/JP98/04293 filed Sep. 25, 1998.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a drug, particularly a remedy for diseases caused by insulin resistance, such as diabetes, as well as to a screening method for the remedy.

BACKGROUND ART

Insulin is a hormone which regulates the concentration of blood sugar and blood lipid through the promotion of glucose and lipid intake into cells and utilization and storage of them. Insulin resistance indicates the condition in which insulin does not act normally on cells, and this condition causes elevation of the concentration of blood sugar or blood lipid. Examples of diseases caused by insulin resistance include diabetes, diabetic microangiopathies (diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy, and diabetic retinopathy), impaired glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinemia, hyperlipemia, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, obesity, ischemic heart diseases, ischemic brain disorders, and peripheral arterial embolism (Tamio Teramoto, et al., (1995) Biomedicine & Therapeutics 29, 8-96). The cause of insulin resistance has not yet been fully elucidated, and causal therapy thereof has not been developed.

Recently, abnormality of intracellular signal transduction induced by insulin has become of interest as a cause of insulin resistance. In signal transduction of insulin, the first response induced by insulin is activation of insulin receptor tyrosine kinase. Subsequently, several intracellular substrates including insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) (Sun, X. et al., (1991) Nature 352, 73-77) and insulin receptor substrate-2 (IRS-2) (Sun, X. et al., (1995) Nature 377, 173-177) are phosphorylated. IRS-1 and IRS-2 have potential tyrosine-phosphorylated sites in amounts of 21 and 23, respectively, and they function as “docking protein” which transmits insulin signals to several proteins having Src-homology 2 domains (SH2-protein) (Sun, X. et al., (1993) Mol. Cell. Biol. 13, 7418-7428).

However, the function of IRS-1 and IRS-2 relating to insulin signal transduction in the aforementioned action is not necessarily fully elucidated, and elucidation of novel function thereof and development of drugs on the basis of the function are demanded.

An object of the present invention is to elucidate novel function of IRS-1 and IRS-2, and to provide a drug based on the function.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, the present inventors have focused on the relation between IRS-1 or IRS-2 and 14-3-3 protein.

14-3-3 Protein is widely distributed in eucaryotes such as animals, plants, ahd yeast, and is a protein family which is supposed to act as a regulatory factor by binding to a particular target protein in a variety of signal transductions depending on phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of proteins (Fumiko Shinkai, et al., (1996) Protein Nucleic Acid Enzyme 41, 313-326). Recently, it has been reported that 14-3-3 protein binds to phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and inhibits its activity in T lymphocytes (Bonnefoy-Berard, N. et al., (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 92, 10142-10146). PI3K plays an important role in signal transduction of insulin (Masato Kasuga, (1996) Saishin-Igaku 51, 1564-1572), and thus 14-3-3 protein has been supposed to effect some type of regulation against signal transduction of insulin (Humiko Shinkai, et al., (1996) Protein Nucleic Acid Enzyme 41, 313-326). In addition, very recently, it has been reported that the ε isoform of 14-3-3 protein binds to IRS-1, but the physiological significance has not been elucidated (Craparo, A. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272. 11663-11669).

The present inventors have performed extensive studies on the relation between 14-3-3 protein and IRS-1 or IRS-2; have elucidated that IRS-1 or IRS-2 binds to 14-3-3 protein at a particular site and that the binding effects negative regulation against insulin signal transduction; and have found that a substance inhibiting the binding is useful for a remedy for diseases caused by insulin resistance. The present invention has been accomplished on the basis of these findings.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a remedy for diseases caused by insulin resistance, which comprises, as an active ingredient, a substance exhibiting activity for inhibiting the binding of the full-length IRS-1 or IRS-2 or a portion of the same to the full-length 14-3-3 protein or a portion of the same.

The present invention also provides a screening method for a remedy for diseases caused by insulin resistance, which comprises assaying activity for inhibiting the binding of the full-length IRS-1 or IRS-2 or a portion of the same to the full-length 14-3-3 protein or a portion of the same.

The present invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition for diseases caused by insulin resistance, which comprises a substance exhibiting activity for inhibiting the binding of the full-length IRS-1 or IRS-2 or a portion of the same to the full-length 14-3-3 protein or a portion of the same, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

The present invention also provides use of a substance exhibiting activity for inhibiting the binding of the full-length IRS-1 or IRS-2 or a portion of the same to the full-length 14-3-3 protein or a portion of the same for producing a remedy for diseases caused by insulin resistance.

The present invention also provides a method for treating diseases caused by insulin resistance, which comprises administering to a patient in need thereof an effective dose of a substance exhibiting activity for, inhibiting the binding of the full-length IRS-1 or IRS-2 or a portion of the same to the full-length 14-3-3 protein or a portion of the same.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Active ingredients of the remedy of the present invention include a substance exhibiting activity for inhibiting the binding of the full-length IRS-1 or IRS-2 or a portion of the same to the full-length 14-3-3 protein or a portion of the same in screening for assaying the inhibiting activity.

As described below, the present inventors were the first to elucidate that the binding of 14-3-3 protein to IRS-1 or IRS-2 effects negative regulation against insulin signal transduction.

Firstly, in order to identify a unique protein that binds to IRS-1, the present inventors used ³²P-labeled recombinant IRS-1 as a probe in order to screen a cDNA library derived from human heart, to thereby obtain two isoforms (ε and ζ) which belong to a 14-3-3 protein family. In addition, they found that 14-3-3 protein associates with IRS-1 in L6 muscular cells, HepG2 hepatoma cells, and Chinese hamster ovary cells, in which IRS-1 is overexpressed by means of an adenovirus expression system, as well as in the brain tissue of cow in a natural state.

The present inventors also elucidated that 14-3-3 protein associates with IRS-1 or IRS-2 in SF9 cells in which 14-3-3 protein and IRS-1 or IRS-2 are overexpressed by means of a baculovirus expression system.

The present inventors also elucidated, by use of HepG2 hepatoma cells in which IRS-1 is overexpressed in the same manner as described above, that the amount of 14-3-3 protein binding to IRS-1 is not changed by insulin stimulation, and that the amount is significantly increased by okadaic acid, which is an inhibitor of serine/threonine phosphatase.

The present inventors also elucidated that IRS-1 has three putative binding sites (Ser-270, Ser-374, and Ser-641) for 14-3-3 protein, on the basis of the finding that, in a cell lysate of L6 muscular cells, the binding of IRS-1 to 14-3-3 protein fused with glutathione S-transferase (GST) is inhibited by three types of 15-residue oligopeptide shown in sequence Nos. 2-4 which contains a serine residue and several amino acid residues in the vicinity of it corresponding to the amino acid sequence of IRS-1, and the serine residue is phosphorylated. Of the above three binding sites, the motif around of Ser-270 are located in the phosphotyrosine binding domain (PTB domain) of IRS-1, and the domain is known to play an important role in interaction with insulin receptors (Wolf, G. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 27407-27410). The present inventors elucidated that, in practice, truncated IRS-1 containing the PTB domain and 205 amino acids adjacent to its C-terminal side associates with GST-fused 14-3-3 protein, by overexpressing the IRS-1 in HepG2 hepatoma cells by means of an adenovirus expression system.

In addition, the present inventors found that IRS-1 that has been coprecipitated with an antibody against 14-3-3 protein is insusceptible to phosphorylation of serine and tyrosine residues by insulin stimulation as compared with IRS-1 that has been coprecipitated with an antibody against IRS-1, by analyzing the effect of the binding of 14-3-3 protein to IRS-1 on phosphorylation of IRS-1 induced by insulin, and analyzing phosphorylated amino acids in a HepG2 hepatoma cell in which IRS-1 is overexpressed by means of an adenovirus expression system. As described above, it was elucidated that 14-3-3 protein effects negative regulation against insulin signal transduction by inhibiting the association of insulin receptors with IRS-1.

Therefore, abnormal promotion of the binding of 14-3-3 protein to IRS-1 or IRS-2 is a primary cause for insulin resistance, and thus insulin resistance may be suppressed and diseases caused by insulin resistance may be treated by inhibiting, suppressing, and dissociating the binding. In order to inhibit the binding, direct inhibition may be effected against the binding of 14-3-3 protein to IRS-1 or IRS-2. Alternatively, indirect inhibition may be effected; for example, phosphorylation of a particular serine residue in the amino acid sequence of IRS-1 or IRS-2, which phosphorylation is considered to play an important role in the binding of 14-3-3 protein to IRS-1 or IRS-2, may be inhibited, or dephosphorylation may be promoted.

The full-length IRS-1 or IRS-2 or a portion of the same used in the present invention may be obtained, for example, by means of the following procedure: cDNA coding for the full-length IRS-1 or IRS-2 or a portion of the same is introduced into baculovirus by means of known methods, and the full-length IRS-1 or IRS-2 or a portion of the same is isolated from the insect cells infected with the virus and purified by means of known methods. The amino acid sequence of IRS-1 is shown in sequence No. 1. When a portion of IRS-1 or IRS-2 is oligopeptide, the portion may be synthesized by means of known peptide synthesis methods. A portion of IRS-1 or IRS-2 may be peptides containing a serine residue in the amino acid sequence of IRS-1 or IRS-2, or phosphorylated products of the peptides. Preferably, a portion of IRS-1 or IRS-2 may be peptide containing the PTB domain (amino acid 161-517 in sequence No. 1 in the case of IRS-1, the amino acid sequence in sequence No. 5 in the case of IRS-2 (corresponding to amino acid 196-354 of IRS-2)), more preferably oligopeptides containing Ser-270, Ser-374, or Ser-641 of IRS-1, or phosphorylated products of the peptides. The length of the portion is not limited so long as activity for inhibiting the binding can be assayed with high sensitivity, and the portion may be 5-50 amino acids, preferably 10-30 amino acids, more preferably 15 amino acids containing serine which is phosphorylated.

The full-length 14-3-3 protein or a portion of the same used in the present invention may be obtained, for example, by means of the following procedure: cDNA coding for the full-length 14-3-3 protein or a portion of the same is introduced into baculovirus by means of known methods, and the full-length 14-3-3 protein or a portion of the same is isolated from the insect cell infected with the virus and purified by means of known methods. A portion of 14-3-3 protein may be the box-1 region which is the binding site to tryptophan hydroxylase (Ichimura, T. et al., (1997) FEBS Lett. 413, 273-276), or a peptide containing the region.

In order to obtain the full-length IRS-1 or IRS-2 or a portion of the same, and the full-length 14-3-3 protein or a portion of the same, they may be advantageously expressed as a fusion protein in a variety of gene expression systems. Fusion protein expression systems such as those including lactose and glutathione S-transferase may also be used.

In order to prepare the aforementioned screening system, the full-length labeled IRS-1 or labeled IRS-2 or a portion of the same, or the full-length labeled 14-3-3 protein or a portion of the same is preferably used. ¹²⁵I or an enzyme which is often used in enzyme immunoassay, such as alkaline phosphatase, is appropriately used for labeling. Such a substance for labeling is bonded to the protein by means of known methods. When the labeled protein is not used, a primary antibody specific to the unlabeled protein and a secondary antibody which is labeled and recognizes the primary antibody are necessary. The primary and secondary antibodies may be commercially available ones.

Next will be described a preferred embodiment for effecting screening for a substance exhibiting activity for inhibiting the binding of 14-3-3 protein to IRS-1 or IRS-2 by means of the above-described system. Firstly, IRS-1 or IRS-2 (the full length or a portion thereof), or 14-3-3 protein (the full length or a portion thereof) is prepared by immobilization thereof onto a plastic material (a microplate or beads) by means of a known method. Subsequently, the other protein to be bonded which is labeled is dissolved in an appropriate buffer, and the resultant solution is added to each well of a microplate (when a microplate is used) or to test tubes containing the beads (when beads are used). A test compound is also added thereto. Independently, a solution containing a very large amount of unlabeled protein is prepared in order to determine the amount of non-specific binding (NSB). The solution containing the labeled protein is incubated under appropriate conditions, and the material (each well of the microplate, or the beads) is washed with the buffer. The amount of the labels attached to the protein binding to the well or beads is measured by means of known methods. When the labeled protein is not used, the solution containing the unlabeled protein is incubated in the same manner, an antibody specific to the unlabeled protein (the primary antibody) is added, and the solution is incubated under appropriate conditions. Furthermore, the secondary antibody which is labeled and recognizes the primary antibody is added, and the solution is incubated under appropriate conditions. Thereafter, the substrate is washed with the buffer, and the amount of labels attached to the protein binding to the substrate is measured in the same manner. When the value of “Bo—NSB” —which is obtained by subtracting NSB from the amount of labels attached to the protein to be bonded in the absence of a binding-inhibitory substance (Bo)—is regarded as 100%, a test compound providing the value (amount of specific binding) of 10% or less may be chosen as a substance exhibiting activity for inhibiting the binding.

A substance source which is considered to exhibit the binding inhibitory activity may be tested by means of the above-described screening system. Examples of such a substance source include synthetic peptides, low-molecular organic compounds, and natural products, preferably substances having applicability as drugs. Specific examples include combinatorial libraries of different chemical substances and synthetic peptide libraries.

A substance exhibiting the binding inhibitory activity which is obtained by means of the above-described screening suppresses negative regulation against insulin signal transduction in cells. Therefore, the substance is useful for producing a remedy for diseases caused by insulin resistance. Examples of such diseases include diabetes, diabetic microangiopathies (diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy, and diabetic retinopathy), impaired glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinemia, hyperlipemia, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, obesity, ischemic heart diseases, ischemic brain disorders, and peripheral arterial embolism.

A dosage of the remedy of the present invention depends on the age, sex, and pathological condition of a patient, and is 5 mg-2 g per adult per day, preferably 50-100 mg as reduced to an active ingredient. The aforementioned dosage per day may be administered in a single portion once a day, or in divided portions 2-3 times a day. If necessary, a dosage per day may exceed the aforementioned dosage.

No particular limitation is imposed on the administration method and the dosage form of the remedy of the present invention, and any dosage form suitable for an administration method may be obtained by means of a conventionally used technique for preparing products.

Examples of products for oral administration include tablets, powders, granules, capsules, solutions, syrups, elixirs, and oily or aqueous suspensions.

For preparation of injections, a solution may be stored in a container and freeze-dried, to thereby provide a solid product, and the solid product may be prepared into an injection just before use. If necessary, the product may contain a stabilizer, a preservative, and a solubilizer. A single dosage of the injection product may be stored in a container, or a plurality of dosages may be stored in the same container.

Examples of external-use products include solutions, suspensions, emulsions, ointments, gels, creams, lotions, and sprays.

Solid products may contain pharmaceutically acceptable additives together with an active ingredient. If necessary, the remedy may optionally contain fillers, expanders, binders, disintegrants, dissolution-promoting agents, humectants, and lubricants, to thereby prepare products.

Examples of liquid products include solutions, suspensions, and emulsions, and the products may contain additives such as suspending agents and emulsifying agents.

EXAMPLES

The present invention will next be described in more detail by way of examples, which should not be construed as limiting the invention thereto.

Example 1

(Method for screening inhibitors for the binding of 14-3-3 protein to IRS-1 or IRS-2 characterized by employing the full-length IRS-1 or IRS-2 or a portion of the same and the full-length 14-3-3 protein or a portion of the same)

A solution containing a portion of human IRS-1, i.e., a portion including the PTB domain (amino acids 161-517) (1 μg/ml, pH 8.0, 50 mM K₂PO₄) (100 μl) is added to each well of a 96-well microplate, and the plate is allowed to stand at room temperature for one hour, to thereby cause the human IRS-1 to be fixed onto the walls of the wells. The solution in each well is removed and the well is washed three times with a buffer (50 mM HEPES, 150 mM NaCl, 0.1% Triton X-100) (300 μl). Subsequently, a buffer solution containing 0.5% bovine serum albumin (BSA) (300 μl) is added to each well and the plate is allowed to stand at room temperature for one hour, to thereby effect blocking. The solution is removed, and each well is washed three times with a buffer (300 μl). Next, a buffer solution containing full-length human 14-3-3 protein (1 μg/ml) (50 μl) and a buffer containing a target sample for screening (50 μl) are simultaneously added to the well and allowed to stand at room temperature for two hours. Independently, a buffer (50 μl) not containing the sample is added to another well which has been treated in the same manner as described above, and allowed to stand, in order to measure the amount of maximum binding (Bo). In order to measure the amount of non-specific binding (NSB), a well to which a portion including the PTB region has not been fixed is subjected to the above-described treatment after blocking, and a buffer solution containing human 14-3-3 protein (50 μl) and a buffer (50 μl) are added to the well, and allowed to stand. Solutions in the above wells are removed, and the wells are washed three times with a buffer (300 μl). A buffer solution containing an anti-human 14-3-3 rabbit polyclonal antibody (Santa Cruz Biotechnology) (0.2 μg/ml) (100 μl) is added to each of the above wells, and the plate is allowed to stand at room temperature for one hour. The solution is removed and the well is washed three times with a buffer (300 μl). Subsequently, a buffer solution containing an alkaline-phosphatase-labeled anti-rabbit IgG goat polyclonal antibody (Linco) (1 μg/ml) (100 μl) is added to each of the wells, and allowed to stand at room temperature for one hour. The solution is removed and the well is washed three times with a buffer (300 μl). After a p-nitrophenyl phosphate solution (1 mg/ml, 1M diethanolamine) (100 μl) is added to each of the wells, the well is allowed to stand at 37° C. for 30 minutes, and a 5% EDTA aqueous solution (100 μl) is added, to thereby terminate the reaction. The absorbance of the resultant product in each well is measured at a wavelength of 405 nm, and the absorbance is regarded as the amount of binding. The binding amount when a sample is added is represented by B. A percentage of binding inhibition by the sample is obtained by the following formula. When the percentage is 10% or less, the sample is selected as a candidate for a substance used in the present invention.

Binding inhibitory percentage (%)=(1-(B-NSB)/(Bo-NSB))×100

Example 2

Three types of synthetic peptide shown in sequence Nos. 2-4 were obtained by use of reagents for peptide synthesis (for example, a peptide block, peptides and amino acids with protective groups, and phosphorylated serine; products of PerkinElmer) by means of a peptide synthesizer (Model: PerkinElmer 433A, product of PerkinElmer). Activity of these peptides ware assayed by means of the binding inhibition screening system described in Example 1. These synthetic peptides exhibit the binding inhibitory activity.

Industrial Applicability

By means of the screening method of the present invention, there can be obtained a remedy for diseases caused by insulin resistance, such as diabetes, diabetic microangiopathies (diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy, and diabetic retinopathy), impaired glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinemia, hyperlipemia, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, obesity, ischemic heart diseases, ischemic brain disorders, and peripheral arterial embolism.

5 1 1242 PRT Homo sapiens 1 Met Ala Ser Pro Pro Glu Ser Asp Gly Phe Ser Asp Val Arg Lys Val 1 5 10 15 Gly Tyr Leu Arg Lys Pro Lys Ser Met His Lys Arg Phe Phe Val Leu 20 25 30 Arg Ala Ala Ser Glu Ala Gly Gly Pro Ala Arg Leu Glu Tyr Tyr Glu 35 40 45 Asn Glu Lys Lys Trp Arg His Lys Ser Ser Ala Pro Lys Arg Ser Ile 50 55 60 Pro Leu Glu Ser Cys Phe Asn Ile Asn Lys Arg Ala Asp Ser Lys Asn 65 70 75 80 Lys His Leu Val Ala Leu Tyr Thr Arg Asp Glu His Phe Ala Ile Ala 85 90 95 Ala Asp Ser Glu Ala Glu Gln Asp Ser Trp Tyr Gln Ala Leu Leu Gln 100 105 110 Leu His Asn Arg Ala Lys Gly His His Asp Gly Ala Ala Ala Leu Gly 115 120 125 Ala Gly Gly Gly Gly Gly Ser Cys Ser Gly Ser Ser Gly Leu Gly Glu 130 135 140 Ala Gly Glu Asp Leu Ser Tyr Gly Asp Val Pro Pro Gly Pro Ala Phe 145 150 155 160 Lys Glu Val Trp Gln Val Ile Leu Lys Pro Lys Gly Leu Gly Gln Thr 165 170 175 Lys Asn Leu Ile Gly Ile Tyr Arg Leu Cys Leu Thr Ser Lys Thr Ile 180 185 190 Ser Phe Val Lys Leu Asn Ser Glu Ala Ala Ala Val Val Leu Gln Leu 195 200 205 Met Asn Ile Arg Arg Cys Gly His Ser Glu Asn Phe Phe Phe Ile Glu 210 215 220 Val Gly Arg Ser Ala Val Thr Gly Pro Gly Glu Phe Trp Met Gln Val 225 230 235 240 Asp Asp Ser Val Val Ala Gln Asn Met His Glu Thr Ile Leu Glu Ala 245 250 255 Met Arg Ala Met Ser Asp Glu Phe Arg Pro Arg Ser Lys Ser Gln Ser 260 265 270 Ser Ser Asn Cys Ser Asn Pro Ile Ser Val Pro Leu Arg Arg His His 275 280 285 Leu Asn Asn Pro Pro Pro Ser Gln Val Gly Leu Thr Arg Arg Ser Arg 290 295 300 Thr Glu Ser Ile Thr Ala Thr Ser Pro Ala Ser Met Val Gly Gly Lys 305 310 315 320 Pro Gly Ser Phe Arg Val Arg Ala Ser Ser Asp Gly Glu Gly Thr Met 325 330 335 Ser Arg Pro Ala Ser Val Asp Gly Ser Pro Val Ser Pro Ser Thr Asn 340 345 350 Arg Thr His Ala His Arg His Arg Gly Ser Ala Arg Leu His Pro Pro 355 360 365 Leu Asn His Ser Arg Ser Ile Pro Met Pro Ala Ser Arg Cys Ser Pro 370 375 380 Ser Ala Thr Ser Pro Val Ser Leu Ser Ser Ser Ser Thr Ser Gly His 385 390 395 400 Gly Ser Thr Ser Asp Cys Leu Phe Pro Arg Arg Ser Ser Ala Ser Val 405 410 415 Ser Gly Ser Pro Ser Asp Gly Gly Phe Ile Ser Ser Asp Glu Tyr Gly 420 425 430 Ser Ser Pro Cys Asp Phe Arg Ser Ser Phe Arg Ser Val Thr Pro Asp 435 440 445 Ser Leu Gly His Thr Pro Pro Ala Arg Gly Glu Glu Glu Leu Ser Asn 450 455 460 Tyr Ile Cys Met Gly Gly Lys Gly Pro Ser Thr Leu Thr Ala Pro Asn 465 470 475 480 Gly His Tyr Ile Leu Ser Arg Gly Gly Asn Gly His Arg Cys Thr Pro 485 490 495 Gly Thr Gly Leu Gly Thr Ser Pro Ala Leu Ala Gly Asp Glu Ala Ala 500 505 510 Ser Ala Ala Asp Leu Asp Asn Arg Phe Arg Lys Arg Thr His Ser Ala 515 520 525 Gly Thr Ser Pro Thr Ile Thr His Gln Lys Thr Pro Ser Gln Ser Ser 530 535 540 Val Ala Ser Ile Glu Glu Tyr Thr Glu Met Met Pro Ala Tyr Pro Pro 545 550 555 560 Gly Gly Gly Ser Gly Gly Arg Leu Pro Gly His Arg His Ser Ala Phe 565 570 575 Val Pro Thr Arg Ser Tyr Pro Glu Glu Gly Leu Glu Met His Pro Leu 580 585 590 Glu Arg Arg Gly Gly His His Arg Pro Asp Ser Ser Thr Leu His Thr 595 600 605 Asp Asp Gly Tyr Met Pro Met Ser Pro Gly Val Ala Pro Val Pro Ser 610 615 620 Gly Arg Lys Gly Ser Gly Asp Tyr Met Pro Met Ser Pro Lys Ser Val 625 630 635 640 Ser Ala Pro Gln Gln Ile Ile Asn Pro Ile Arg Arg His Pro Gln Arg 645 650 655 Val Asp Pro Asn Gly Tyr Met Met Met Ser Pro Ser Gly Gly Cys Ser 660 665 670 Pro Asp Ile Gly Gly Gly Pro Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Asn Ala 675 680 685 Val Pro Ser Gly Thr Ser Tyr Gly Lys Leu Trp Thr Asn Gly Val Gly 690 695 700 Gly His His Ser His Val Leu Pro His Pro Lys Pro Pro Val Glu Ser 705 710 715 720 Ser Gly Gly Lys Leu Leu Pro Cys Thr Gly Asp Tyr Met Asn Met Ser 725 730 735 Pro Val Gly Asp Ser Asn Thr Ser Ser Pro Ser Asp Cys Tyr Tyr Gly 740 745 750 Pro Glu Asp Pro Gln His Lys Pro Val Leu Ser Tyr Tyr Ser Leu Pro 755 760 765 Arg Ser Phe Lys His Thr Gln Arg Pro Gly Glu Pro Glu Glu Gly Ala 770 775 780 Arg His Gln His Leu Arg Leu Ser Thr Ser Ser Gly Arg Leu Leu Tyr 785 790 795 800 Ala Ala Thr Ala Asp Asp Ser Ser Ser Ser Thr Ser Ser Asp Ser Leu 805 810 815 Gly Gly Gly Tyr Cys Gly Ala Arg Leu Glu Pro Ser Leu Pro His Pro 820 825 830 His His Gln Val Leu Gln Pro His Leu Pro Arg Lys Val Asp Thr Ala 835 840 845 Ala Gln Thr Asn Ser Arg Leu Ala Arg Pro Thr Arg Leu Ser Leu Gly 850 855 860 Asp Pro Lys Ala Ser Thr Leu Pro Arg Ala Arg Glu Gln Gln Gln Gln 865 870 875 880 Gln Gln Pro Leu Leu His Pro Pro Glu Pro Lys Ser Pro Gly Glu Tyr 885 890 895 Val Asn Ile Glu Phe Gly Ser Asp Gln Ser Gly Tyr Leu Ser Gly Pro 900 905 910 Val Ala Phe His Ser Ser Pro Ser Val Arg Cys Pro Ser Gln Leu Gln 915 920 925 Pro Ala Pro Arg Glu Glu Glu Thr Gly Thr Glu Glu Tyr Met Lys Met 930 935 940 Asp Leu Gly Pro Gly Arg Arg Ala Ala Trp Gln Glu Ser Thr Gly Val 945 950 955 960 Glu Met Gly Arg Leu Gly Pro Ala Pro Pro Gly Ala Ala Ser Ile Cys 965 970 975 Arg Pro Thr Arg Ala Val Pro Ser Ser Arg Gly Asp Tyr Met Thr Met 980 985 990 Gln Met Ser Cys Pro Arg Gln Ser Tyr Val Asp Thr Ser Pro Ala Ala 995 1000 1005 Pro Val Ser Tyr Ala Asp Met Arg Thr Gly Ile Ala Ala Glu Glu 1010 1015 1020 Val Ser Leu Pro Arg Ala Thr Met Ala Ala Ala Ser Ser Ser Ser 1025 1030 1035 Ala Ala Ser Ala Ser Pro Thr Gly Pro Gln Gly Ala Ala Glu Leu 1040 1045 1050 Ala Ala His Ser Ser Leu Leu Gly Gly Pro Gln Gly Pro Gly Gly 1055 1060 1065 Met Ser Ala Phe Thr Arg Val Asn Leu Ser Pro Asn Arg Asn Gln 1070 1075 1080 Ser Ala Lys Val Ile Arg Ala Asp Pro Gln Gly Cys Arg Arg Arg 1085 1090 1095 His Ser Ser Glu Thr Phe Ser Ser Thr Pro Ser Ala Thr Arg Val 1100 1105 1110 Gly Asn Thr Val Pro Phe Gly Ala Gly Ala Ala Val Gly Gly Gly 1115 1120 1125 Gly Gly Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Glu Asp Val Lys Arg His Ser Ser 1130 1135 1140 Ala Ser Phe Glu Asn Val Trp Leu Arg Pro Gly Glu Leu Gly Gly 1145 1150 1155 Ala Pro Lys Glu Pro Ala Lys Leu Cys Gly Ala Ala Gly Gly Leu 1160 1165 1170 Glu Asn Gly Leu Asn Tyr Ile Asp Leu Asp Leu Val Lys Asp Phe 1175 1180 1185 Lys Gln Cys Pro Gln Glu Cys Thr Pro Glu Pro Gln Pro Pro Pro 1190 1195 1200 Pro Pro Pro Pro His Gln Pro Leu Gly Ser Gly Glu Ser Ser Ser 1205 1210 1215 Thr Arg Arg Ser Ser Glu Asp Leu Ser Ala Tyr Ala Ser Ile Ser 1220 1225 1230 Phe Gln Lys Gln Pro Glu Asp Arg Gln 1235 1240 2 15 PRT Artificial Sequence misc_feature Description of Artificial Sequencesynthetic peptide 2 Asp Glu Phe Arg Pro Arg Ser Lys Ser Gln Ser Ser Ser Asn Cys 1 5 10 15 3 15 PRT Artificial Sequence misc_feature Description of Artificial Sequencesynthetic peptide 3 His Pro Pro Leu Asn His Ser Arg Ser Ile Pro Met Pro Ala Ser 1 5 10 15 4 15 PRT Artificial Sequence misc_feature Description of Artificial Sequencesynthetic peptide 4 Met Pro Met Ser Pro Lys Ser Val Ser Ala Pro Gln Gln Ile Ile 1 5 10 15 5 159 PRT Homo sapiens 5 Glu Val Trp Gln Val Asn Leu Lys Pro Lys Gly Leu Gly Gln Ser Lys 1 5 10 15 Asn Leu Thr Gly Val Tyr Arg Leu Cys Leu Ser Ala Arg Thr Ile Gly 20 25 30 Phe Val Lys Leu Asn Cys Glu Gln Pro Ser Val Thr Leu Gln Leu Met 35 40 45 Asn Ile Arg Arg Cys Gly His Ser Asp Ser Phe Phe Phe Ile Glu Val 50 55 60 Gly Arg Ser Ala Val Thr Gly Pro Gly Glu Leu Trp Met Gln Ala Asp 65 70 75 80 Asp Ser Val Val Ala Gln Asn Ile His Glu Thr Ile Leu Glu Ala Met 85 90 95 Lys Ala Leu Lys Glu Leu Phe Glu Phe Arg Pro Arg Ser Lys Ser Gln 100 105 110 Ser Ser Gly Ser Ser Ala Thr His Pro Ile Ser Val Pro Gly Ala Arg 115 120 125 Arg His His His Leu Val Asn Leu Pro Pro Ser Gln Thr Gly Leu Val 130 135 140 Arg Arg Ser Arg Thr Asp Ser Leu Ala Ala Thr Pro Pro Ala Ala 145 150 155 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of sequestering a 14-3-3 protein with a substance which inhibits the interaction with IRS-1 protein or IRS-2 protein comprising contacting the 14-3-3 protein with said substance in an amount sufficient to sequester said 14-3-3 protein, wherein said substance is a peptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, and SEQ ID NO:4.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said IRS-1 protein comprises the amino acids in SEQ ID NO:1.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said IRS-2 protein comprises the amino acids in SEQ ID NO:5.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said peptide is SEQ ID NO:2.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said peptide is SEQ ID NO:3.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said peptide is SEQ ID NO:4.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said contacting comprises administering said substance to a cell.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein said cell is in a patient.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said patient is suffering from a disease caused by insulin resistance.
 10. A method of inhibiting the interaction between a 14-3-3 protein and IRS protein comprising contacting the 14-3-3 protein with said substance in an amount sufficient to inhibit said interaction, wherein said substance is a peptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, and SEQ ID NO:4.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said IRS-1 protein comprises the amino acids in SEQ ID NO:1.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein said IRS-2 protein comprises the amino acids in SEQ ID NO:5.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein said peptide is SEQ ID NO:2.
 14. The method of claim 10, wherein said peptide is SEQ ID NO:3.
 15. The method of claim 10, wherein said peptide is SEQ ID NO:4.
 16. The method of claim 10, wherein said contacting comprises administering said substance to a cell.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said cell is in a patient.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein said patient is suffering from a disease caused by insulin resistance. 